Books: The Motor Boys on the Pacific

C >> Clarence Young >> The Motor Boys on the Pacific

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"That sounds good to me," replied Bob.

"Suppose we got the vessel, made fast to her, and started to tow her
in and had to abandon her because of a storm?" asked Jerry.

"Well, of course that might happen, though it's not likely, for we
seldom have bad storms an this coast this time of year. Still if you
couldn't bring the derelict in, you couldn't that's all. But if you
found her, you could get the papers and gold, and if you had to
abandon her, you could go back after the storm was over. I think you
boys could do what I want, and, as I say, I'm willing to pay well. I'd
go with you, of course. What do you say?"

Mr. Blowitz seemed quite anxious. In fact he was so anxious that Jerry
was suspicious.

"I wonder why he doesn't hire some larger boat, or a small steam tug
to go for that derelict?" thought Jerry. "He could get men, who are
regularly engaged in the business of saving vessels, to go out for
that price. Why should he prefer us, when we have had no experience in
that line, and hardly know him? There is something back of all this,
that he is not telling us. I wonder what we had better do?"

"Well?" asked Mr. Blowitz, as none of the boys spoke. Ned and Bob were
waiting for Jerry to reply and the latter was turning it over in his
mind, seeking to find a reason for the strange request.

"When would we have to start?" asked Jerry, at. last.

"I'd like you to go to-morrow, or the day after, at the farthest. It
would not take long to provision the boat for the cruise."

"Will you put your offer in writing?" asked Jerry.

"In writing-- why, isn't my word good? Well, of course-- Oh, I see--
you think I am a stranger here and might-- Oh, well, I have no
objection to drawing up an agreement. Perhaps that will be the best
way."

Mr. Blowitz looked a little annoyed that Jerry should have suggested
such a thing, but he quickly covered his confusion by speaking
rapidly.

"I'll draw up a paper right away," he said, taking a fountain pen from
his pocket. "I'll have the waitress get me some blanks, and you can
have them witnessed before a notary public, if you wish."

"There's no hurry," said Jerry. "Suppose you draw up the papers, and
we can meet you here to-morrow to talk things over further. I think we
should take a little time to consider this. It is rather a queer
proposition--"

"Oh, of course, I don't want to hurry you into it," declared Mr.
Blowitz, in rather a nervous manner. "Of course I could get some other
boat and a regular crew, but I saw you boys, and I took a liking to
you. I thought you might like to earn some money and, if you have good
luck, it oughtn't to be hard work."

"Oh, we'd like the money all right enough," interposed Bob.

"We'll think it over," put in Jerry quickly, for he was afraid Ned or
Bob might say something that would commit them. "We'll meet you here
to-morrow at ten o'clock and you can have the papers with you."

"All right," agreed the man, and Jerry thought he seemed disappointed
that the matter was not settled at once. "Don't forget now," he urged
them, as they left the pavilion, Mr. Blowitz remaining there to drink
more chocolate.

"Why didn't you agree to it, Jerry?" asked Bob, when they were
outside. "That would be a swell cruise. Just the thing! And think of
getting two thousand dollars!"

"That's just it," replied Jerry. "We want time to think it over, and I
guess we had better tell Mr. Seabury. Boys, I believe there is
something wrong back of all this, and we don't want to run into
danger."

"Danger!" exclaimed Ned. "Do you think there is danger?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to be on the safe side. I don't like Mr.
Blowitz, but he may be all right. If we find he is, and Mr. Seabury
advises it, we'll go on that cruise, and try to find the derelict. I
asked him to make out the papers so we could have a chance to consider
it."

"Well, maybe you're right," admitted Ned. "But I do hope it's all
right. It would be great, to take a voyage on the Pacific in the
Ripper."

The boys hurried back to the bungalow, intending to tell Mr. Seabury
the result of their talk with Mr. Blowitz before mentioning it to the
girls.

"Father has gone out," said Rose. "He has gone to dine with a friend,
and he'll not be back until late to-night. We'll have supper together,
and go for a trip on the bay. It's going to be a nice moonlight
night."

"The very thing!" exclaimed Ned. "But we must see to the Ripper. She's
on the rocks yet."

"That's so," exclaimed Jerry. "I nearly forgot about her. Bob and I
will get her and take her to the dock. She must be afloat by now."

"It's almost supper-time," said Nellie, "hurry back."

"Oh-- it's near supper-time, is it?" asked Bob, with a woe-begone look
on his face. "I-- er--"

"Come on, Ned," called Jerry. "Bob's afraid he'll get left on the
eating proposition. You come with me."

Ned and Jerry rowed out to the motor boat. They found her floated, and
riding easily, and, after towing her to the dock, they returned to the
house. Partaking of a hasty supper the young folks, leaving Ponto and
the servant in the bungalow, went down to the beach, and started for a
moonlight ride in the Ripper.

CHAPTER XIX

A CRY FOR HELP

"ISN'T this perfectly delightful," remarked Nellie, as she reclined on
some cushions in the little cabin. "I just love to be on the water!"

"Well, it's better than being out in the fog," admitted Jerry, as he
adjusted the oil feed on the engine, and glanced over the moonlit
waves.

"There don't seem to be many boats out tonight," observed Olivia.

"Maybe the owners are afraid of a storm," suggested Rose. "Sometimes a
storm will follow a fog. I wonder if it's safe for us to go out?"

"We're not going far, and we'll keep near shore," replied Jerry. "It
does act as if it was going to blow a bit, but I guess it will not
amount to much."

There was quite a swell on as they got further out, and the Ripper
rolled some, but the boys and girls were too good sailors to mind
that.

"I wonder if we'll meet Mr. Blowitz again," came from Nellie, after a
period of silence. "He's always turning up most unexpectedly."

"I don't believe we'll see him to-night," said Ned. "What do you think
he wanted of us? Shall I tell 'em, Jerry?"

"Might as well, I'm going to tell Mr. Seabury as soon as I see him."

Thereupon Ned related the interview with Carson Blowitz, and the
latter's desire to have the boys search for the derelict Rockhaven.

"I hope you don't go," spoke Nellie.

"Why not?" asked Bob.

"Because-- well, because," and she laughed a little uneasily.

"That's just like a girl," remarked Jerry, good-naturedly. "They don't
want you to do a thing, but they can't tell you why."

"Well, it's just an uneasy feeling I have toward Mr. Blowitz, that's
all," went on Nellie. "I can't explain it, but I feel, whenever I am
near him, that he is planning something mean, or that he is up to some
trick."

"Well, it's just how I feel," declared Rose, and Olivia admitted that
she, too, did not trust the man.

"Well, we haven't decided to go," said Jerry, "and we're going to have
a talk with your father about it. I admit I'd like to make the trip
and find the brig, but, as you say, I don't quite trust Blowitz."

"Oh!" suddenly exclaimed Rose, as a wave, larger than any that had
preceded it, sent a shower of spray over the boat. "Don't go out any
farther, Jerry. It's getting quite rough."

"Yes, I guess it is," admitted the steersman, as he put the boat
about. "There's quite a swell on. Wouldn't wonder but we'd have a
storm by morning, though it's bright enough overhead. I don't believe
Ponto is a good prophet."

There were only a few clouds in the sky, and the moon was shining down
like a big silver disk, making objects unusually bright, for the
southern moonlight is wonderful.

Jerry put the boat over near shore, and steered along the coast,
which, at that point was quite rocky, cliffs rising here and there to
a considerable height above the water.

"Look out you don't run her on the rocks again," cautioned Ned.

"I'll be careful," replied Jerry. "Maybe you want to run her a while.
I don't want to be the whole show."

Ned was glad of the chance to take the wheel, and he and Jerry changed
places. They were proceeding at slow speed, the girls occasionally
humming the chorus of a song, and the boys joining in when they knew
the air. The beauty of the night, the fine boat, and delight of moving
along with scarcely a sound, had them all under a sort of magic spell,
and they felt they could thus go on forever.

It was when they came opposite a range of low cliffs, close to the
water's edge, that Bob suddenly called out in a low voice:

"Look at the men on the rocks!"

"Where?" asked Jerry.

"Over there," and Bob pointed. Ned steered the boat nearer to where
two black figures, sharply outlined in the moonlight, could be seen in
bold relief on the cliff.

"They are men, sure enough," replied Jerry, "but you needn't get
excited over it."

"I'm not," went on Bob. "Only one of them is Mr. Blowitz, that's all."

"Mr. Blowitz?" queried Jerry sharply.

"Hush! He'll hear you," cautioned Rose. "Sounds carry very easily over
water."

"It is Mr. Blowitz," admitted Jerry. "I wonder what he's doing out
here."

"Probably getting some more information about the brig Rockhaven,"
suggested Ned. "Maybe that's a seaman who has some news of her."

By this time the motor boat was quite close to the two men, who,
however, did not seem to notice the Ripper. There was no question
about the identity of Mr. Blowitz. The other man was a stranger to the
boys and girls. The two were apparently talking earnestly, and,
occasionally Mr. Blowitz could be seen to be gesticulating violently.

"He's mad about something," declared Ned.

"It does look so," agreed Rose.

All at once the boys saw Blowitz take a step toward the other man, who
retreated, as if afraid. Blowitz raised his hand as though to give a
blow.

"Look out!" cried Ned involuntarily, as if the man could hear him.
"You'll go over the cliff!"

With a quick motion he turned the boat, steering toward the foot of
the rock, above which the men stood.

At that instant a black cloud came over the moon and the scene was
plunged in darkness. It was just as if it had been blotted out, and a
murmur of surprise, at the suddenness of it, came from those in the
Ripper.

At the same instant a cry rang out-- a man's cry-- and it seemed to be
one for help.

CHAPTER XX

BLOWITZ IS ANGRY

"QUICK!" called Jerry. "Put us over there, Ned!"

"I will! Something has happened. I wonder--"

"Oh, why doesn't the moon come out from behind that cloud," exclaimed
Rose, for she and the other girls were nervously afraid.

"Maybe they have both toppled over the cliff," suggested Nellie.

"More likely only one of them did," said Bob. "I only heard one cry.
What's the matter, Ned?"

"Something's gone wrong with the engine."

"Here, let me have a look," called Jerry, and he went to the cockpit.

There was a lantern aboard, and, by the light of it, Jerry saw that
one of the battery wires, leading to a spark plug, had become
loosened, breaking the circuit, and preventing the gas from exploding
in the cylinders. He soon had it fixed and the engine started, sending
the boat toward shore.

By this time the moon was out again, flooding the scene with radiance.
Eagerly the boys and girls looked toward the spot on the cliffs, where
the odd scene had taken place. To their surprise they saw Mr. Blowitz
standing there, and they were close enough to note that he was smoking
a cigar.

"Well!" exclaimed Nellie, for that was all she could say, so great was
her astonishment.

"Guess nothing happened after all," added Ned. "We have had our fright
for nothing."

"There certainly was another man there," declared Jerry, "and he's
gone now."

"And I'm certain I heard a cry for help," said Bob.

"We all heard a cry," admitted Jerry, "but it might have been a call
for a boatman, or something like that. However--"

He did not finish what he was going to say for, at that instant,
Blowitz heard the noise of the approaching motor boat. The muffler.
was not working just right, and the usually noiseless engine of the
Ripper was making quite a fuss. Blowitz was in a listening attitude,
standing in bold relief in the moonlight, and, having, apparently,
satisfied himself as to where the boat was, he started to descend the
cliff.

"He's coming down," said Ned.

"Is that the Ripper?" called Blowitz suddenly.

"Yes," replied Jerry, wondering how the man knew.

"I thought I recognized her engine. Are you coming ashore? If you are,
I'd like to speak to you."

"We're coming," answered Ned.

"Don't come too close then, for there are dangerous rocks. Make for
that little point up there," and the man pointed so that the boys
could see where he meant. "There's deep water right up to the edge.
It's a sort of natural dock, but go slow. I'll meet you there, I want
to tell you something."

"Shall we ask him about the man?" inquired Bob in a low voice.

"No, don't," advised Nellie quickly. "It might make trouble. See what
he has to say, and then let's hurry home. I'm afraid of him."

"What? With we three aboard?" asked Jerry with a little laugh. "We are
complimented."

"Oh, I don't mean that," Nellie hastened to say. "I mean that Mr.
Blowitz is a dangerous man."

She spoke low for she did not want him to hear her, and they were
quite near to shore now.

Ned steered for the little point of land, and found he could send the
boat quite close with no danger of hitting the rocks. Presently
Blowitz, who had momentarily vanished amid the shadows at the foot of
the cliff, appeared.

"Good evening, boys," he said. "I--" he stopped suddenly, "I didn't
know you had young ladies aboard."

"Yes, we have been taking a moonlight run," Jerry explained. "We saw
you up there on the cliff, and--"

"I was there with a friend of mine," Blowitz spoke quickly. "We were
talking about the derelict brig. I was to meet a sea captain there,
but he did not come. My friend had to leave in a hurry, and just then
I heard the noise made by your boat, so I called to you. Did you hear
a call?"

"We heard some sort of a call," spoke up Bob, "but we thought it
was--"

"That was me," interrupted Blowitz, "I recognized the Ripper by the
peculiar sound of the exhaust. I have quite a trick of recognizing
boats that way. I was afraid you'd get past, so I called. But I didn't
know you had the young ladies with you, or I would not have bothered
you."

"That's all right," said Jerry. "We were coming ashore anyhow."

"You were? What for?" and Blowitz looked sharply at the boys. "Oh, I
suppose you saw me and wanted to tell me you would accept my offer--
but excuse me, perhaps the young ladies--"

"Oh, we have told them of it," answered Ned. "You can speak before
them."

"All right then. I was going to say perhaps you came in after seeing
me, to tell me you had accepted my offer and would search for the
derelict. Is that it?"

"Well, we hadn't quite decided," replied Jerry.

"What! Not decided!" exclaimed Blowitz. "Why I want you to start at
once-- or-- that is-- to-morrow morning. I have just received news
that makes it important that the search begin at once. I am depending
on you. You will go at once, won't you? Come, I'll increase my offer,"
he said. "I'll pay you two thousand dollars for your time and trouble,
stand all expenses, and, if you find the brig, and tow her in, I'll
give you three thousand dollars. That's a fair offer. Now you can
start to-morrow morning, can't you, boys?"

"I don't know," began Jerry, slowly.

"Isn't that money enough?" and Blowitz seemed much excited.

"Oh, yes, the offer is a very good one. But I think we should consult
with some one-- We--"

"No, there is no need of consulting with any one," interrupted
Blowitz. "I have the papers all made out. We can go before a
notary-public to-night, for it is not late yet, and sign them, and you
can start by to-morrow noon. What do you say? Will you go?"

It was a hard question to decide. The trip was alluring to the boys,
even had there been no prize money connected with it. But there was
something about Blowitz that made them hesitate. His very eagerness to
have them start, almost at once, made them feel there was something
queer back of it all. Still they had undertaken, before this, more
difficult and risky tasks. Why not this one?

"Well, I must have your answer soon," said Blowitz, approaching nearer
to the boat.

"Will you wait just a moment?" asked Jerry. "My chums and I will go in
the cabin and talk it over. We'll let you know right away."

"I'll wait five minutes," said the man. "Time is precious to me. I
have lots to do. But I know you'll go. I'll raise the offer five
hundred dollars. Now, that's the best I can do. But you must start as
soon as possible to-morrow."

"Come in here," called Jerry to his chums, entering the small cabin,
where the three girls had already gone as they did not wish to seem to
listen to the talk between Blowitz and the boys.

Jerry closed the sliding doors, and, by the light of a small lantern
which hung from the cabin ceiling, looked at his companions. Outside
they could hear Blowitz pacing up and down on the rocky shore.

"Well, what do you fellows say?" he asked.

"I'd like the trip," said Ned, wistfully.

"The money is a large sum," added Bob.

"Then you want to go?" asked Jerry. "I'll do just what ever you do.
I'll tell him we'll go."

"No! Don't!" cried Nellie in a tense whisper. "Jerry-- boys-- don't
have anything to do with this man. He may be all right, but there's
something mysterious about him. Why should he want to hire you when,
for the same money, or less, he could get a company of fishermen, who
know these waters well, to make the search? Take a girl's reason, for
once, and don't have anything to do with him!"

She had risen to her feet, her eyes were flashing and her cheeks
flushed with the excitement of the moment. The boys looked at her in
admiration.

"I admit there is something queer in his offering to increase the
prize money," spoke Jerry, after a pause. "He must be very desperate."

"And why this sudden rush?" inquired Ned. "This afternoon he was in no
such hurry. Something must have occurred in the meanwhile-- I wonder
if it was the man on the cliff--"

"Now don't let's go to guessing at too much," cautioned Jerry. "The
question to be settled now is: Do you want to go on a search for the
derelict brig? Yes or no? That's what we've got to settle now."

There was silence for a moment, broken only by the tick of the clock
in the cabin. Involuntarily Nellie glanced at it. The hands pointed to
the hour of nine, and she felt that she and her sisters should be
home. Jerry looked at his two companions.

"I guess we'd better not go," said Bob slowly.

"I hate to give it up, but maybe it will be for the best," added Ned.
"I'm suspicious of him. Tell him we'll not go, Jerry."

"Very well."

Jerry stepped to the cabin door and slid it back. At the sound Blowitz
came eagerly forward.

"Well?" he queried. "Are you going? Can you start at once'?"

"We have decided not to go," replied Jerry, slowly. "I-- that is my
chums and I-- do not feel just right about it. It is not our boat,
and--"

He hesitated, for he did not want to give the main reasons that had
influenced him and his chums. But Blowitz did not give him a chance to
continue.

"Not go!" the man fairly cried. "Why I'm surprised at you! You led me
to believe, all along, that you would go. Here I've gone and wasted a
lot of time on you, gone to a lot of trouble, made all my
arrangements, expecting you would go, and--"

"We never gave you any reason to think we would go," declared Jerry
very positively. "You are wrong, there, Mr. Blowitz. We only said we
would consider it. We have done so, and have concluded not to go. I am
sorry--"

"Sorry? You'll be sorrier than this before I'm through with you!"
threatened the man. "You'll wish you had gone before very long, let me
tell you. You've spoiled all my plans. I depended-- Oh! I'll get even
with you for this!" and the man, in a fury threw his cigar down on the
rocks, whence it bounded up amid a shower of sparks. "You'll regret
this!" he cried in angry tones, as he turned away and started off up
the cliff, muttering to himself.

"You've made him mad," said Bob.

"Can't help it," replied Jerry. "I'm glad we are not going to have
anything to do with him. I believe he is a dangerous person. Certainly
he had no right to talk about us as he did."

"Oh, I'm so glad you're not going!" exclaimed Nellie, as she and her
sisters came out of the cabin. "I was afraid you would give in when he
got so angry. But let's get away from here. Somehow, I don't like this
place. Besides we should have been home some time ago. Papa may have
returned, and we always try to be in before ten o'clock. We'll hardly
get home by that time now."

"Yes, we will," said Ned. "I'll send the Ripper along at a good clip."

He started the engine, and, as the boat swung out from beside the rock
dock, the form of Blowitz could be seen going up the cliff in the
moonlight. In less than an hour the boat was at San Felicity and the
girls were put ashore. They found Ponto down at the dock to meet them.

"Massa Seabury done got worried after he got home," said the colored
man, "an' he sent me to see if yo' was heah."

"Ponto," asked Jerry, "do you think you can take the young ladies
safely home, without falling asleep?"

"Suttinly I can," Massa Jerry. "Fall asleep! I gess I doan't fall
asleep at night. I'se only sleepy when de sun shines, I is."

"Then I guess you'll do all right. See that they get home safe."

"Why, aren't you boys coming too?" asked Nellie, in some surprise.

"Not now," replied Jerry.

"Why not?"

"I think we'll go back to the foot of the cliffs and see if we can't
find the man to whom Blowitz was talking. I don't like the way he
acted, for that certainly was a cry for help, and there may have been
foul play!"

CHAPTER XXI

THE MAN ON THE ROCKS

JERRY'S announcement was news to his chums, for he had given them no
hint of his intentions as the Ripper was nearing the boathouse.

"Do you mean you are going to hunt for that man on the rocks?" asked
Ned.

"Yes, I think he fell; or was pushed over by Blowitz. There was no
mistaking that call for help. Blowitz says it was he who called to us,
but I know better. That was a cry of fear."

"Oh, don't get into any danger," cautioned Nellie. "Maybe you had
better take Ponto with you. We're not afraid to go home alone. It's
nice and bright, and there is no danger."

"Deed an' there be, Miss Nellie," interrupted Ponto, who did not
relish going off on a strange hunt with the boys. "Some ob dem horned
toads might git after yo', an' if Ponto wasn't along dey'd bite you. I
shorely am gwine home wid yo'. Massa Seabury, he done 'specially
stipulate it, an--"

"Yes, I guess Ponto had better go with you," said Jerry. "We can do
better alone. It won't be the first time we've had a midnight hunt,
though never before one just like this. We'll come back as soon as we
can, and tell you all about it. We can make quick time in the boat."

"And, if you find the man?" asked Rose.

"If we do, and he needs help, we'll see that he gets it; I think if we
do find him we'll learn more about Mr. Carson Blowitz than we know
now."

"Shall I tell my father?" asked Nellie, as the boys were preparing to
make the return trip. The dock was deserted, save for the young people
and Ponto, but in the chocolate refreshment place, and other booths on
shore there was plenty of life.

"I think it would be a good plan," agreed Jerry. "You know the whole
story, about the brig and the offer Blowitz made. Tell Mr. Seabury
that we would have consulted him before, only he was out when we got
back this afternoon. Now, Ponto, lookout that no horned toads or
web-footed lizards get the young ladies, and, above all, don't lie
down alongside the road and take a nap."

"Hu! Guess I ain't gwine t' sleep when I's 'scortin my massa's
daughters home," declared the colored man, rather indignant that such
a slur should be cast on him.

"Don't worry," called Jerry, as the girls walked along the dock to
shore. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Do you really think we'll find anything?" asked Ned of Jerry when
they were some distance out, and speeding along toward where they had
seen Blowitz and the other man on the cliff.

"I don't know," Jerry frankly admitted. "It looks suspicious, and the
way Blowitz acted made it more so. Maybe the shadows deceived us, and
the man did not fall, for the cloud over the moon made things black.
But it will do no harm to take a look, and then we'll be satisfied."

"If we find him, what will we do with him?" asked Bob, who had a habit
of looking ahead.

"Let's find him first," said Jerry. "Maybe it is some man who works
for Blowitz, and who would not do just as his boss wanted him to.
Blowitz can get angry very easily, as was proved by his actions when
we refused to make that trip. Maybe he hit the man in a fit of
passion, and the man cried out in surprise, and ran away."

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